Winter break is a great time for students to catch up on their sleep, spend some quality time with friends and family, see some good movies, and yes, even do some college planning. While most students consider this a time for total rest and relaxation, winter break should also be a time when parents have a heart-to-heart talk with their high school students. High school juniors, in particular, will be returning to school for one of their most important semesters. If they do not plan for the future, there could be some disappointments ahead.
Winter break is a good time to discuss 4 topics with your high school student: High school courses, test prep and registration for the SAT and ACT test, extracurricular activities, and time management.
High School Courses
Students need to make sure they are choosing high school courses that are required by many colleges. You don't need to load yourself up with so many AP and honors classes that you make it difficult on yourself to do well. Keep balance in mind. Do not put yourself in a position to fail. Take the most challenging courses in the subjects that you enjoy and come more naturally to you, but don't feel you need to challenge yourself in a subject where you might already struggle. Making good grades is important, but don't take on more than you realistically can handle.
Colleges are concerned with the academic strength of your high school curriculum. This is always one of the most important factors in the college admission process. College admission officers want to make sure you have had a good educational foundation in pre-college level work. This assures them that you should be a successful candidate for college courses.
Test Prep for the SAT and ACT
College planning needs to include test prep and registering to take both the SAT and ACT. It is recommended that high school juniors take both tests their junior year and then decide if one test is more suited to their learning style. Every college in the U.S. will take either test for college admissions. Some students who are extremely motivated may be able to discipline themselves enough to do test prep on their on. Most, however, will benefit from a course that offers 12-15 hours of instruction. Look at local companies because they are usually both affordable and effective.
There are also two prep books you might want to purchase: The Real ACT Prep Guide and the Official SAT Guide. These books are published by the companies that produce the SAT and ACT tests. They will give students an opportunity to practice on something that is as close to the actual tests as possible. The more practice a student gets, the better.
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities will help to make your college applications unique and memorable. When you are beginning your college planning, students need to consider what they would like to do outside of school or in the community.
Colleges are interested in what you have done and leadership roles you took on in your activities or clubs. Extracurricular activities include high school athletics, theater, choir, debate or any other area to which you have dedicated time and commitment. Maybe you organized or participated in an annual event in the community where you contributed your time and talent.
Extracurricular activities can also demonstrate to a college some things that are important to you. Maybe you have dedicated weekly time to a tutoring program for disadvantaged students or coached a kindergarten soccer team for the last two years. Extracurricular activities give students a chance to utilize their social, physical, political, and creative skills.
Time Management Skills
Students have to juggle many things which can be stressful and sometimes overwhelming. High school is an important time for students to understand the need to balance their school work with the other activities in which they participate. Most students find that a day planner can make a real difference in helping them schedule school assignments, jobs, and other activities. Personal scheduling software now exists that allows students to synchronize scheduling information between their cell phone and computer.
Studying when you have a break between classes can free up time for other activities. Students must learn to prioritize and set attainable goals. When your college planning really begins, you will need time to do your college search, applications and essays, and everything else that goes into the college admissions process. That is when time management skills will be utilized the most.
To find out more about college planning, go to http://www.collegedirection.org/ to receive the free monthly newsletter. Susie Watts is a private college counselor and the founder of College Direction in Denver, Colorado. She assists with the college search, essay and application process, and provides college planning services for students of all abilities, including learning differences.
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